Brunei has deferred implementing a set of harsh Islamic criminal laws, including stoning for Muslim adulterers, after the move drew criticism from human rights group and the United Nations. Read More »

Citizens in Muslim-majority Brunei who’ve expressed criticism of a plan to introduce harsh Islamic criminal laws, including stoning for Muslim adulterers, have received a stern warning from the ruling sultan – stop the insults. Read More »

A nuanced joint statement from leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations following their meeting in Tokyo, illustrated the difficulty Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faces in trying to attract more support for Japan in a region heavily influenced by China.

The gathering over the weekend was supposed to be a three-day photo op commemorating the 40th anniversary of Japan’s relationship with the association that also demonstrated some success for Mr. Abe’s recent efforts to strengthen ties with its members.

But the meeting took on unexpected importance as the first major Asian summit to take place since China’s surprise announcement in late November that it had set up an air-defense identification zone encompassing disputed islands in the East China Sea. Read More »

Brunei will introduce strict Islamic criminal laws — including stoning for Muslim adulterers –its ruling sultan said Tuesday, as the oil-rich Southeast Asian country continues to embrace a more conservative form of Islam compared to its Muslim-majority neighbors.

Reuters

Islam has long been the official religion of this tiny country in the Borneo island, which is split into three parts with Malaysia and Indonesia as well.

“It is because of our need that Allah the Almighty, in all His generosity, has created laws for us, so that we can utilize them to obtain justice,” Sultan and Prime Minister Hassanal Bolkiah said in a statement. Read More »

Southeast Asia’s annual security forum will draw big hitters from Asia and beyond when it kicks off in Brunei this weekend, including U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on his first trip to the Association of Southeast Asian Nation’s Regional Forum since succeeding Hillary Clinton. But analysts warn not to expect any quick fixes on one of the biggest flash points in this part of the world: Who owns what in the South China Sea.

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

On the face of it, some of the tensions between China and other claimants to the potentially energy-rich waters have improved in recent weeks. China’s new foreign minister, Wang Yi, in May flagged his willingness in principle to discuss a code of conduct to resolving the various territorial disputes in the region. Vietnam’s President Truong Tan Sang agreed to open up a new telephone hotline to Beijing during a recent visit to China to douse fisheries disputes after a series of encounters between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels.

The reality, though, is that China has prepared plenty of caveats that could delay any meaningful discussion on the South China Sea. Read More »

Tucked away on the second floor of one of Bandar Seri Begawan’s better-known hotels are two unmarked doors that from the outside appear to lead to standard hotel rooms. Listen closely though and you’ll hear the murmur of voices and the click of billiard balls. This is the entryway to Brunei’s underground drinking scene.

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

The Islamic sultanate on the Borneo coast forbids the sale of alcohol, but that doesn’t mean visitors and residents can’t imbibe. They just have to be more than a little discreet about it.

On a recent Friday afternoon, tucked away on the second floor of one of Bandar Seri Begawan’s well-known hotels, three European men sit telling racy stories. They are fresh in from five weeks at sea on an assignment from their employer, a large global energy firm, and are happy to unwind with a beer in front of them. Regulars say many of patrons of the speakeasy, “the lounge” to those in the know, are foreigners connected to the oil and gas industry, the lifeblood of Brunei’s economy. Read More »

As Southeast Asian leaders arrive in Brunei’s capital for an annual summit Wednesday, the Sultan of the tiny kingdom on Borneo’s northern edge is throwing open the doors of his new executive office building.

The dimensions of the edifice could certainly rival its more famous counterparts in Washington, Paris and Seoul. At 92,000 square meters, it boasts a sprawling banquet hall, a terraced 1,000-seat theatre, and a cathedral-like atrium with relaxation gardens and fountains tucked behind massive Roman-style pillars. Read More »

Southeast Asian finance officials gathering this week in the tiny oil-rich state of Brunei will be looking for ways to sustain the region’s rapid growth.

Natasha Brereton-Fukui/The Wall Street Journal

The four-day gathering is for members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Asean members have largely fared well in recent years, even as many major economies struggle to revive output. They hope to create an Asean Economic Community by late 2015 that would lower trade barriers within the bloc but not have a common currency.

About Indonesia Real Time

Indonesia Real Time provides analysis and insight into the region, which includes Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. Contact the editors at SEAsia@wsj.com.

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